Developing Control in Piano Technique by Luís Fernando Rayo, M.M. A Doctoral Project In Music Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Texas Tech University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS Approved Dr. Stacey Jocoy Chair of Committee Dr. Tatiana Mann Dr. Eric Fried Dr. Mark Sheridan Dean of the Graduate School August 2020 Copyright 2020, Luís Fernando Rayo Texas Tech University, Luís Fernando Rayo, August 2020 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I want to thank my family for all the support since when I started playing piano, when I was seven years old. The love and encouragement from my father, Alejandro, my mother, Geni, and my brother, Alejandro, have been the most precious and important thing in my life. I would never be where I am today without your trust. I want to thank my little son for being the best thing that has ever happened in my life. Thank you for all my dear grandmother Vó Venúncia. I would like to thank all my professors, for all the teachings and inspiring life examples. I would like to acknowledge: Guacira da Rocha, my first electronic keyboard teacher; Lavínia Rockembach, my first piano teacher; Therezinha Abrahão Koukidis, my musical mother, who taught me to read music and has always been with me, thank you so much for all your encouragement and support. My piano professor at UFRGS, Dr. Ney Fialkow, for your expertise. My dear professor Fernando Mattos, for the life example. My piano professors here at Texas Tech University, Dr. Lora Deahl and Dr. William Westney, for your expertise. Musicians from all over the world bring their dreams here to Texas Tech University, so that we can learn from experts. For me it was all worth it, I learned so much here. I can say that, for sure, from here it is possible. I want to thank all my friends for all the advices, support and encouragement, it means a lot to me. I want to thank God for always giving me luck and being always here with me. ii Texas Tech University, Luís Fernando Rayo, August 2020 TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS …………………………………………………….…………… ii ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………….…………… iv INTRODUCTION …………………………………………………………….…………… 1 I – PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF PIANO TECHNIQUE ……………………………………..5 Purpose of Technique ……………………………………………………………………… 5 Learning New Skills .………………………………………………………………………. 10 Fine Motor Control - Development of Specialized Movement Coordination ……………… 13 Position of the Fingers …………………………………………………………………….. 16 Building Finger Control …………………………………………………………………….. 17 Octave Techniques …………………………………………………………………………. 19 Hand Relaxation …………………………………………………………………………… 25 Sound and Pressure on the Keys ……………………………………………………………. 27 Gravity and Weight …………………………………………………………………………. 28 Finger Technique in Conjunction with Arm Technique, in Equilibrium with the Whole Body ……………………………………………………….. 34 Practice Strategies ………………………………………………………………………….. 37 II – COGNITIVE ASPECTS OF PIANO TECHNIQUE…………………………………40 “Brain Technique” Cognitive Development …………………………………………..……. 40 Concentration ……..………………………………………………………………………… 42 Mental practice ……………………………………………………………………………… 45 III – INTERPRETATION AND MUSICIANSHIP………………………………………. 47 Philosophical Thoughts about Playing in Public …………………………………………… 47 The Joy of Playing ………………………………………………………………………….. 47 Breakthroughs ………………………………………………………………………………. 49 Musical Inflection …………………………………………………………………………… 50 Imagination ……………..…………………………………………………………………… 53 Musical Interpretation ……………..………………………………………………………… 57 The Experience of Music ……………………………………………………………………. 60 Well-rounded Pianistic Technique …………………………………………...………………61 CONCLUSION ………………………………………………………………………….. 63 BIBLIOGRAPHY …………………………………………..…………………………….. 64 iii Texas Tech University, Luís Fernando Rayo, August 2020 ABSTRACT The present work is the result of years of practice and thinking about the art of playing the piano. During many years of struggle to learn advanced repertoire, one feeling regarding the execution of the instrument started to be clear: the presence or absence of pianistic control. This control can be divided into three parts: the body (fingers, wrists, arms, torso) performs the movements necessary to create sound of the piano. The brain controls the body and sends a clear signal to the very tips of the fingers. This signal transmits the intentions of the pianist through musical elements such as phrasings, dynamics, rhythms, as well as all the movements necessary to achieve the musical result. Finally, the third part of pianistic control - the heart or soul of the interpreter, the comprehension of the message that the composer wants to communicate, the experience and feelings in relation to the piece, are the ones that are ultimately transmitted by the brain and executed by the body. The present work aims to investigate and to explain specific pianistic techniques and strategies that will assist in the development of physical and cognitive controls, as well as to briefly reflect on the importance of the comprehension of the “meaning behind the notes” for the pianist so that he or she can express these ideas and messages through music. iv Texas Tech University, Luís Fernando Rayo, August 2020 INTRODUCTION The piano is an instrument with very special and unique characteristics. Its way of producing the sound can seem like magic, since the pianist cannot see everything that happens between the millisecond that the key is pressed and the sound is produced. Playing the piano can be a rewarding experience, one that connects the performer and the audience to the very fact of being alive, through the acts of listening and feeling the music. However, during the years of learning the instrument, the pianist soon realizes that producing a good tone is not so simple: it involves coordination between hands, the necessity of producing a smooth melodic line or scale, and all the challenges of trying to learn the masterpieces of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt or Rachmaninoff. In this document, I hope to clarify some of the essential technical elements of piano playing, as well as various approaches, methods and processes that can lead to good physical and mental coordination, which are necessary to achieve pianistic mastery. I will discuss the physical and cognitive aspects of piano technique, as well as some analytical and interpretative approaches. Developing an effective piano technique is fundamental to the expression of the musical ideas, effects and aesthetics of the vast and rich pianistic repertoire. Throughout the centuries, separation between technical exercises and the interpretation of the music has become standard in piano pedagogy. Many technical compositions and exercises, including works such as Carl Czerny’s piano studies and the famous method The Virtuoso Pianist by Charles-Louis Hanon have contributed to the creation of this 1 Texas Tech University, Luís Fernando Rayo, August 2020 separation. It is a fact that some pieces of the pianistic repertoire are intended to develop technical aspects such as finger dexterity, strength, and proficiency in the execution of specific difficulties such as arpeggios or scales. However, this does not mean that technique should be separated from musical content: in order to produce the desired sound and express what the composer wrote and what the performer intends, technical mastery is of great help. Deeply knowing piano technique can bring the expression and unique “voice” of a pianist to a new level. Technique is not music. However, it should be clarified that technique is much more than just moving the fingers, or the physical part of piano playing: it includes the overall coordination and relaxation of the body, and the brain’s capacity for concentration and introspection—being able to connect with the music, with the implied feelings and messages behind it, and with oneself. There are many cognitive processes involved in piano playing. A deep connection between the signal sent from the brain in the form of musical intentions and the body’s capacity for a clear response is cognitive technique. An attentive and critical self-hearing, and the capacity to move in response to the sound is of extreme importance, as well as the capacity to create nuances using pedal effects and differences in articulation. The consciousness of the different possible types of touch will be key in this control of the articulation, in the quality of the tone, as well as in the ability to voice certain notes of the texture in order to make the melody and harmony sound more colorful. 2 Texas Tech University, Luís Fernando Rayo, August 2020 The ability to create and to listen to silences requires aesthetic sensibility and concentration, as well as control over the instrument, and this ability is often a feature of the experienced masters of the piano. It is important to understand that many features of the inspired performer are much more than pure “technique.” These features are dependent on the capacity of the performer to control the instrument at a high level, so this expertise can be transferred to the sound. The musician needs to understand the meaning, sentiment and aesthetic of a composition Since the capacity to transmit the intentions from the brain to the tips of the fingers is necessary, these intentions need to be clear in the brain in the first place, and the body needs to be relaxed. It is important for the pianist to be able to “play the music in the mind”, or “sing in the head,” and this process, called audiation, will slowly help in the creation of a meaningful interpretation.